The mainstream media that cover RFID have been reporting on the patent pool formed by 20 RFID vendors. The purpose of the pool is to simplify management of and access to RFID patents for manufacturers and users. Noticeably absent, however, is Intermec, the company some would argue has the most important patents.

For background about the issue, RFID Insights has a good plain-English overview.

RFID Journal has a more detailed report -- especially good for manufacturers and other direct licensees of the technology.

But for reading between the lines, the BusinessWeek report nails it:

"But chances are, one of the real goals of the consortium -- which joins suppliers like Alien Technology, Symbol Technologies (SBL), and Avery Dennison (AVY) -- is arm-wrestling Intermec, which owns the lion's share of intellectual property relating to next-generation RFID technology."

Read more at BusinessWeek.

Now all we need are some law bloggers to explain what this patent pool does and does not mean to the typical end user looking to deploy RFID. Should your company care? Should you change your deployment plans? Or is this a clash of the titans that gets played out at a level that has no effect on mere mortal companies? (Professor Bainbridge? Professor Smith? Professor Althouse? Bueller? Anyone?)

Tags: RFID; patent; law